Basketball: Yao Ming "retires"

HOUSTON, Texas: Yao Ming, the 2.29m Chinese giant who became the NBA's first superstar player from Asia, has notified the Houston Rockets and the NBA that he has retired, according to multiple reports Friday. The Houston Chronicle, ESPN and Sports Illustrated reported that Yao has decided against trying to make another comeback after injuries limited him to playing in only five games over the past two NBA seasons. The Chronicle reported that Yao told the club a month ago he was not coming back. With NBA players locked out by owners in a contract dispute, there was no immediate confirmation from the Rockets or the league regarding the status of Yao, whose groundbreaking career helped the global growth of basketball. The 30-year-old from Shanghai made his debut for the Rockets in 2002 after a stellar career for the Chinese national team and the Shanghai Sharks. While Yao was...